News & Announcements - October 2012

First Annual Peter Jaszi Distinguished Lecture on IP, Nov. 1

Christopher Sprigman, author of The Knockoff Economy and professor at University of Virginia Law School, will deliver the First Annual Peter Jaszi Distinguished Lecture on Intellectual Property, Nov. 1 at 5:30 p.m. The lecture, held by the Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property (PIJIP), is named in recognition of the contributions of Professor Peter Jaszi to the study of IP and elevation of the public interest as the paramount concern of the law. MOREMore

American University Washington College of Law Open Wednesday, Oct. 31

American University Washington College of Law is open on Wednesday, Oct. 31, with classes and activities resuming their normal schedule. More

American University Washington College of Law Closed Tuesday, October 30, Open Wednesday, October 31

On Tuesday, October 30, American University Washington College of Law remains closed due to Superstorm Sandy. All classes and activities are cancelled, including campus shuttle service. For information on Pence Law Library, please see their operating status update. Classes and activities will resume on Wednesday, October 31. More

American University Washington College of Law Closed Monday, October 29 and Tuesday, October 30

On Monday, October 29 and Tuesday, October 29, American University Washington College of Law is closed due to Hurricane Sandy. All classes and activities are cancelled, including campus shuttle service. For information on Pence Law Library, please see their operating status update. More

Maryland Area Alumni Networking Reception

Nearly 50 alumni joined the Office of Development & Alumni Relations and Dean Claudio Grossman for the annual Maryland Area Alumni Networking Reception this week at Seasons 52 in North Bethesda. Dean Grossman gave remarks at event and discussed the plans for the new law campus. MORE

New Brazil-U.S. Legal and Judicial Studies Program Launched at AUWCL

American University Washington College of Law proudly announces the establishment of the Brazil-U.S. Legal and Judicial Studies Program, a comparative law program focused exclusively on Brazil and the United States and their respective legal and judicial institutions. The law school recognized the launch of the program Thursday with a celebratory lunch with remarks from Mauro Vieira, ambassador of Brazil to the United States, U.S. District Court Judge Peter Messitte, who is heading the new program, and Dean Claudio Grossman. More

ABA Hosts Town Hall Meeting on Gender Discrimination and Equality

The ABA Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities and the law school will host a collaborative town hall meeting Oct. 26, noon to 2 p.m., examining whether experiences with discrimination and definitions of equality have changed for the newest generation of lawyers. The meeting will encourage a dialogue among law students, young lawyers, members of the bar, and others in the community. Karen M. Lockwood, CEO and founder of The Lockwood Group, LLC, will give keynote remarks.

Dean Grossman and Professor Mendez Address UN General Assembly

Juan Mendez, visiting professor of law and UN special rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Dean Claudio Grossman, as chair of the United Nations Committee against Torture (UN CAT), presented to the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. In addition, Grossman and Mendez participated in a panel, "Reprisals Against Victims of Torture and Other Ill Treatment," at the Permanent Mission of Denmark to the UN in New York in partnership with the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT).

AUWCL Celebrates National Pro Bono Week

The law school will join in the celebration of National Pro Bono Week, Oct. 21-27. The Office of Public Interest (OPI) will host a roundtable discussion for students on Oct. 23 about the new mandatory pro bono requirement for the New York Bar. On Oct. 25, OPI and the Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law will co-sponsor "Access to Justice: How the Legal Profession is Addressing the Needs of the Poor," a look at the many different important approaches to providing free and reduced-cost legal services. MOREMore

Maryland Area Alumni Networking Reception, Oct. 24

The Office of Development & Alumni Relations will host a Maryland Area Alumni Networking Reception, Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at Seasons 52 in North Bethesda. Dean Claudio Grossman give remarks at the annual event attended by more than 50 guests. For more information or to RSVP, email alumni@wcl.american.edu. More

Top-Ranking Arbitrator to Speak at Annual Lecture

V.V. Veeder QC, an international arbitrator and legal adviser from Essex Court Chambers, London, will present the 2012 American University Washington College of Law Annual Lecture on International Commercial Arbitration. Nearly 170 people are expected to attend the annual event held at Arnold & Porter on Oct. 22. Veeder will speak on the topic of "Arbitrators and Arbitral Institutions: Legal Risks for Product Liability?" MORE

Dean Grossman Meets With Alumni, Prospective Students in Florida

Dean Claudio Grossman will be meet with alumni in Coral Gables, Florida on Saturday to discuss the new law campus, as well as the legal community and the job market in South Florida. Following the alumni reception, Dean Grossman and local alumni will meet with prospective students and their families to give an overview of the programs and opportunities available for Hispanic/Latino students at American University Washington College of Law.

LL.M. Programs Host Prospective Student Live Chat, Oct. 19

Join the LL.M. admissions staff for a live chat this Friday, Oct. 19, and discover how earning a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Legal Studies, Law & Government, or Advocacy from American University Washington College of Law prepares graduates to achieve their personal and professional goals anywhere in the world. The discussion begins at 9:30 a.m. MOREMore

Dean's Diversity Council Hosts Annual Program and Dinner

The Dean's Diversity Council Annual Program and Dinner will be held Wednesday, beginning with a panel, "Getting There: Talking About Career Paths," moderated by DDC member Jill Cummins '87, counsel for Allstate Insurance. Throughout the event, Council members and guests from varying backgrounds will talk about their own career paths, the implications of the current employment climate, and possibilities for non-traditional legal employment. AUWCL students will also have several opportunities to network.

Law School Hosts VIII Symposium on International Trade

American University Washington College of Law is proud to welcome guests to the VIII Symposium on International Trade, Oct. 17, co-sponsored with ABCI Institute. High-level experts, including Brazilian Ambassador Mauro Vieira and C. Fred Bergsten of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, will examine What is New in Trade? The event is also presented with the support of the Embassy of Brazil and the International Trade and Investment Law Society. WEBCASTMore

AUWCL Hosts Major Conference on Next Steps in Health Reform

On Tuesday, the law school will host "Next Steps in Health Reform," a major academic conference on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The directors of South Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services and Maryland's Office of Health Care Reform will discuss the pros and cons of accepting the federal Medicaid expansion, and panels of experts will cover the next steps for health plans and health care providers. MOREMore

Foreign Minister Aurelia Frick to Speak at AUWCL

The law school will host Dr. Aurelia Frick, minister of foreign affairs of the Principality of Liechtenstein, for a lunchtime discussion on Oct. 18, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Foreign Minister Frick will speak about Liechtenstein and its engagement with the International Criminal Court. MOREMore

Conference on the Future of the Inter-American Human Rights System

Prestigious international law schools and centers will join AUWCL for an Oct. 15 conference on the Future of the Inter-American Human Rights System. The conference examines the achievements of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and Court of Human Rights since their creation; the challenges facing both organs and the reform process within the OAS to address them; and the potential impact of reforms on the ability of the Commission and Court to protect human rights in the Americas. VIEW THE WEBCASTMore

Panelists to Discuss IP, Trade, and Development at Oct. 16 Event

The Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property (PIJIP) and non-profit group Public Citizen will present "Intellectual Property, Trade, and Development," an Oct. 16 event bringing together academics, civil society, and policymakers to examine how intellectual property affects economic growth in countries at different levels of development, and analyze the way the U.S. ratifies trade agreements. MOREMore

International Legal Studies Program Celebrates 30th Anniversary

The law school will host a three-day conference and alumni reunion Oct. 10-13 in celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the International Legal Studies Program. In addition to participating in conference sessions and discussions about timely international law topics, guests will attend a reception at the Law Library of Congress, the annual Embassy Reception, and an alumni dinner hosted by Dean Claudio Grossman. MOREMore

Dean's Advisory Council Meeting Held Tonight

The Dean's Advisory Council meeting will be held tonight at 6:30 p.m. in room 603. The Dean's Advisory Council consists of leaders within many constituencies of American University Washington College of Law, including the areas of law, academia, business, and the community. The Council will also join 2Ls and 3Ls for a speed interviewing event hosted by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, and the Office of Career and Professional Development. More

Lawyer Re-Entry Program Begins Instructional Sessions

The Lawyer Re-Entry Program recently began instructional sessions, and will continue for the following two weekends through Oct. 20. The program for professionals looking to renew their legal careers combines instruction by law school faculty, interactive sessions, networking opportunities, and even one-on-one professional coaching for participants. MOREMore

Professor Begins Term as Chair of ABA Section on Individual Rights

Stephen Wermiel, fellow in law & government, has assumed a yearlong position as chair of the American Bar Association Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities (IRR). The Section guides the ABA in areas such as human rights, civil liberties, and social justice. As chair, Wermiel will conduct a yearlong series of town hall meetings at law schools throughout the country exploring how young lawyers and law students are experiencing discrimination in the profession, the legal system, and other institutions in ways that may differ from previous generations. MOREMore

Lawyer Re-Entry Program Begins Instructional Sessions

The Lawyer Re-Entry Program will begin its instructional sessions Oct. 5 & 6 and will continue for the following two weekends through Oct. 20. The program for professionals looking to renew their legal careers combines instruction by law school faculty, interactive sessions, networking opportunities, and even one-on-one professional coaching for participants. MOREMore

Women and the Law Program & Ms. JD Host "She Leads" Conference

The Women and the Law Program and Ms. JD will collaborate to host "Ms. JD: She Leads, Fifth Annual Conference on Women in the Law," Friday, Oct. 5 at the law school. Attendees will participate in a full day of workshops and breakout sessions to develop core leadership skills, which can be applied in law school, legal practice, the government, or at non-profits. MOREMore

International Arbitration Competition Welcomes 300 Participants

The Center on International Commercial Arbitration is proud host to the Fifth International Commercial Arbitration Competition, Sept. 27-Oct. 1. The competition promotes the study of international commercial law and arbitration as a method of conflict resolution in international business, and is conducted exclusively in Spanish. Nearly 300 students from 40 law schools will participate in the event, held for the first time in the U.S. MOREMore

Kiobel Post-Argument Event Held at AUWCL

American University Washington College of Law held a timely discussion of Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum on Tuesday—a day after the rare rehearing of the case. Speakers representing both sides of the debate and case assessed the previous day's arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court while providing insight about the Court's impending decision. Read a re-cap of the event or view CSPAN's coverage. More